Improvement in fences



J. S. LENOX. Heme.

No. 208,745. Patented Oct. 8, 187.8.

- WITNESSESF IN flaw aZzM/Z ATTORNEYS.

N, PETERS, PHOTO-LITNOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. 0 cv UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN S. LENOX, OF GAINESVILLE, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,745, dated October 9, 1878; application filed August 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JOHN SAMUEL LENoX, of Gainesville, in the county of Cook and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved gence, of which the following is a specificaion:

The object of my invention is to construct a fence out of common materials, such as can be obtained by farmers, and in such a manner that it will be hog-tight, bull-strong, and cattle-high, and a saving in expense and land over any heretofore made.

My invention consists in a rail-fence having the rails laid up in a straight line and the bottom one resting upon a pin that is driven in the ground. Wire links are placed between the ends of the rails, and wire is used to hold the rails firmlyin place, and also to secure the the inclined stakes and riders.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of a number of panels of fence constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of one panel, and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a a are pins or short stakes that are driven into the ground on the line where the fence is to be built, and at a distance apart equal to the length the panels are to be. These pins a project slightly above the ground, and each one has a hole through it at a right angle to the fence-line in the portion above ground.

I) b are the rails, that are laid up, as usual, with ends lapped, but in a straight line instead of the usual zigzag. The ends of the bottom rails in each panel rest upon the pins to.

o c are short links of wire bent into an oval form, that are laid between the lapped ends of the rails as the fence is built, for the purpose of preventing the ends resting on each other and permitting circulation of air at the laps. These links 0 are long enough to project slightly at each side of the fence.

at d are inclined stakes, that are driven into the ground at the end of each fence-panel, so as to incline across the fence and brace it in that direction. There are two stakes, d, at the end of each panel, on opposite sides of the fence, and they cross above the fence.

0 c are rails laid in the crotches formed by stakes 01, said rails 0 being known as riders. The stakes d are held together where they cross by a piece of wire passed around each pair of stakes and its ends twisted, as seen at fin Figs. 1 and 2.

The rails b are held in place, and to the ground by a wire, g, that is-passed through the hole in pin a, and extends upward at each side of the rails, adjacent to their lapped ends and over the riders c, where the ends of the wire are twisted. I have shown this wire 9 passed through the projecting loops of links 0 at each side of the fence, and the wire 9 is thereby stiffened and bound tightly to the fence.

To prevent any lengthwise movement of the fence, I provide the inclined braces h h, that each have one end resting upon the ground near pin a, and extend upward along the side of rails b to the top rail at the other end of the panel, and they are held to the rails by wires i. There is to be a pair of these braces h h inclined in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1, about every tenth panel, to brace the fence lengthwise.

The fence constructed as above described occupies much less land than ordinary railfences. It is sufficiently high to turn cattle when only five rails are used for the main portion, while eight or ten rails are required for rail-fences as usually made. It is strong and not likely to be thrown down, and may be made tight enough to prevent small animals passing through it. The ends of the rails will not rot sooner than the other part, as the air has free access to the lapped ends.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The herein-described fence, consisting of the pins a, rails 1), links 0, stakes d, riders 0, wires fg, and braces 71, all arranged as shown and set forth.

JOHN SAMUEL LENOX.

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